Method of milking.



D. T. SHARPLES. METHOD QP MILKING. APPLIoA'rIoN rum 1111.11, 1910.

Patented May 9, 1911.

AES

ra'rnn'r onirica.

METHOD F MILKING.

Patented May 9, 1911.

992,672.V Specification of Letters Patent.

' Application mea January 11, 1910 semina. 537,449.

A amena:

Be it known that I. Davm T. Srmnrnrs, a

citizen. of the United States7 residing 4at West Chester, in the county of Chester and State of PennsylvaniaT have invented a new and. useful Method of Mil-king, of which the following is a specification.

My invention is a method of milking whereby the teats of the cow are subjectedto suction and pressure to eteet respectively the evacuation of the milk and the restoration. of the tissues, organs and fluids of the testsand udder tol their normal conditions, the teats being manipulated incidentally so yas to excite the nerves and stimulate the flow of milk.

Inv the operations of milking apparatus heretofore employed, ib has been usualto subject the teats of the animal to pulsating mechanical and pneumatic actions for they purpose of pressingy out and drawing out the mil-k, but in these perations a. continuous downward strain, though of varying intensity, is exerted, which results injuriously,

sincemany ooWs subjected thereto are irritated, have inflamed and congested teats. hold up their milk and have their normal periods of lactation shortened. It is a primary object of my invention to effect the free evacuation of the milk Without irritation or injury', with avoidance ol" the constant tension or pulling action which interferes with the normal functions as those of the blood and milk vesicles.

By my method the teat subjected to suction, and' to intermittent pressure exerted over substantially the entire surface previo-usly subjected to suction. the pressure being obtained preferably by pneumatically collapsing a flexible tube upon the teat in alternation with the application of-suction thereto.

In practice I have obtained highly satisfactory results by subjecting the teat to suc- Ation due to a fourteen inch vacuum applied Within a flexible tube. subject externally to a sixteen inch Vacuum alternating with pressure above that of the atmosphere of about Q But thc l four' `pounds to the square inch. s uction and the pressure are subject to regulation, both as to their force and time. to accommodate the action to the milking characteristics of cows. The desired effect may bc attained with the suction in the tube either continuous or intermittent. because the va rior suction in its application to the teat. The periodic pressure is exerted along the teat, or so much thereof as is subjected to suction, and is applied to points along the teat'leither simultaneously or from the end progressively upward, so that the tissues, vesicles and related parts are periodically relieved from the tension or downward pull which withdraws the milk and a restoration of conditions is produced periodically. The resulting etl'ects are agreeable to the animal, the milk is let down `freely and. aiter milking, the teats are in the same relaxed and flabby condition found after the suckling of a calf. i

The characteristic operations of my method may be illustrated by the apparatus showir'in the accompaiiying drawings, in Which- A a -Figures l and 2 are longitudinal sectional views representing tivo operating relations of a teat cup which I have devised for the practice of my method.

This apparatus 'comprises the comparatively rigid outer tube or shell A having flared ends a and the peripheral channel a intermediate of the ends, the channel having the duct a connected therewith. .in elastic inner tube B has the material of its open ends b pressed tightly against the inner surfaces of the shells ends a. at the top by the tapered ring c and at the bottom by the tapered ring c of the base C, the rings conforming to the interior surfaces ot the shells ends within which they are wedged. The base C is provided with a duct c which communicates with the interior of the inner tube B. The ringr c is adapted to be passed upon the teat l into contact With the body D ofthe udder. Where it may be held by exhausting the air from the inner tube B through the duct c.

A vacuum is created Within the inner tube B b v suction through the duct c. which is :accompanied b v suflicicntsuction through i the duct u. to keep the inner tube expanded. 2 and milk collected in the tcat is discharged i therefrom. At the end ot the interval durr ing which the discharge of milk held in the i teat has taken place. the tube B is coli lapsed and pressed against the teat by increasing` the pressure between the parts A F and B. Ythe preferable pressure thus caused4 tissues having been restored to their normal condition, or pressed back by the external force applied thereto, for the instantduring which the teat is relieved of the tension or suction that effect-s the lexpulsion of the milk, the blood and milk vesicles are restored to their normal conditions and functions for the interval, atthe end of which a further impulse effects the evacpation of further milk collected from the milk ducts. These impulses, subjecting the teat alternately to suction and pressure, are varied in time and degree as conditions require.

It Will be understood that the iexible inner tube, preferably. made of thin and elastic rubber, provides asheath for inclosing the teat and that the resultant pressure to' which -this sheath is subjected is period- .'ically reversed so asto cause it to expand during the interval required vr'for drawing milk and to collapse upon the teat so as to relieve the latter from the effect of the vacuum during the interval required-for pressing back the tissues, whereby the method is distinguished from the natural operation in which suction and pressure,from' the rootof the teat downwardly, are simultaneously applied in alternation With periodic relaxa-l tion of such suction and pressure.

Having described my invention, I claim l. The method'of milking which consists in subjecting the teat to suction and intermittently applying pressure thereto so as to restore the tissues to approximately normal condition.

2. The method of milking `Which consists A in subjecting the teat to suction and alternately therewith applying pressure thereto inwardly and upwardly.

3. The method of milking which consists in subjecting the teat alternately to suction suiiicient to effect the discharge of milk and pressure higher than atmospheric'fapplied over substantially the surface subjected-,to Y

suction. ,Y

4. The method of milking Whih consists in inclosing the teat ina flexible sheath, re-

ducing the normal exterior-and interior pressure on said sheath so as to e'ect the discharge of milk from the teat, and pneumaticall'y pressing said sheath against said and intermittently collapsing said sheath. upon said teat so as to press the tissues in# Wardly and upwardly.

6. The method of milking which consists in subjecting the teat to artificial suction and intermittently pressing the samel by fluid pressure so as to lrestore the; tissues distorted by suction.

7. The method of milking which consists in inclosing 4the teat by means'including a flexible device, reducing the normal pressure Within and Without said device so as to effect the discharge' of milk from the teat, and applying `uid pressure to said device' and thereby pressing said teat so as to restore -substantially normal conditions therein. In Witness whereof I have `hereunto set` my name this 10thA day o/January 1910, in the presence of the subscribing Witnesses.

DAVID TOWN SEND SHRPLES. Witnesses:

A.- C. MACARTNEY, H. B. CARLISLE. 

